Sheet holder



pl 10, 1945. A J, LEV

SHEET HOLDER Filed Feb. 5. 1942 INVENTOR ,4A/@REW JI L EV BY f' l ATTRNEY Patented Apr. 10, 1945 2,373,482 f SHEET HOLDER Andrew J. Lev, Maple Heights, Ohio, assigner to The Cleveland Pneumatic Tool Company, Cleveland, Ghio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 5, 1942, Serial No. 429,629

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in sheet holders, that is to say devices adapted to be inserted into certain of the registering rivet holes of a pair of sheets to be joined forholding the sheets together while rivets are being set in other registering holes.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of a holder of the character described which shall be of simple construction and relatively low cost and which shalll be effective and certain in its operation.

Other objects and features of novelty will apn pearl as I proceed with the description of that embodiment of the invention which, for the puposes of the present application, -I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the holder with a fragmental illustration of a pair of pliers that may be used for operating the holder.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the holder only, looking in the direction of arrows 2-2 of Fig.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the plungers depressed and in position to be projected through a pair of registering rivet holes;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the holder in operative position on a pair of sheets;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on a larger scale, the View being taken substantially on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional detail view on a still larger scale taken substantially on the line iiof Fig. 3.

. The device illustrated comprises a metal cup l0 with a central hole in the bottom thereof through which two plungers project, that is a long plunger II and a'short plunger I2. The long plunger has an enlarged cylindrical portion I3 lust below its head I 4.

ACOl Spring I5 surrounds the plunger II and is also surrounded by the lower coils of springv I 5,

but at its upper end plunger I2 has an outward bend I 6 which projects radially into the space between two adjacent coils of the spring at an `intermediate point of the latter. When the spring is fully compressed as in Fig. 3, part of vthis bend I6 extends into a cavity I l in the lower end of the cylindrical part I3 of the plunger I I.

The shanks of plungers II and I2 are exible, and at their lower ends they carry feet I 8 and I9 respectively which are of such size that when the plungers are retracted to the position of Fig. 1 or to that of Fig. 4 their combined crosssectional larea is greater than the cross-sectional area ofthe rivet holes 20 in a pair of sheets 2l to be joined. Preferably also the meeting surfaces of the feet I8 and I9 as well as of the shank of plunger II are cam-'shaped so that, wheny the feet approach each other after having been put into the relative positions illustrated in Fig. 3,

projected through a pair of rivet holes and areA retracted these bowed portions are straightened out more or less by the walls of the rivet holes', thus bringing the main portion of said shanks into an appressed relation and tending further to spread the feet yI8 and IS. f

The spring I5 is relatively stili, and as is usual in devices of this sort, pliers are used to enable the operator to compress the spring. Such pliers areillustrated in Fig. 1 and comprise two parts 25 and 26 pivoted together at 2l', the part 25 v having abifurcated jawV to straddle cup Ill and engage beneath therim 28 thereof, while part 26 has a single jaw with a roundedface 29 for engagement with the head I4. In use, the holder is placed in the pliers in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1. The handles of the pliers are then brought together compressing the lspring I5 as in Fig. 3 and projecting the plungers tothe extent indicated in that gure. When still in the grip 'of the pliers, the plungers are then projected through the registering holes 20 until the cup II! engages the uppermost sheet. Thereafter the .operator relaxes his hold upon the pliers, permitting the spring to expand and draw the plungers upward until they Vassume the position of Fig, 4,'when the feet engagethe outer surface of the lower sheet 2I and act to compress the sheets tightly against the cup I0. The pliers may then be removed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In a sheet holder, a cup the lower surface of which functions as an abutment for engagement with the outer surface of one of a pair of sheets to be joined, two Yplungers slidable through a bottom opening in said cup having feet with a combined cross-sectional area greater than that of the rivet holes in the sheets to be joined, vmeans vfor moving the plungers diierentially to cause one to project beyond the bottom. of the cup a greater distance than .the other, the shank lof the former and the foot of the latter then hav-- ing a combined cross-sectional area less thanvthe cross-sectional area of saidsholesywhereby the plungers `may be caused to extend through one ofrsaid holes, and spring means `adapted to re# tract saidplungers to bring both of said feet into ment with the outer surface of one of a pair of sheets to be joined, two plungers slidable throughf a bottom opening in said cup having exible.

shanks oppositely bowed Aand having feet with a combined cross-sectional area greater than thatv of the rivet holes in the` sheets to be joined, means for moving the plungers differentially to causev one to project. beyond the bottom of the cup a greater distance than the other, the shank of the former plunger and the foot of the latter one then having a combined cross-sectional area less than the cross-sectional area ofv said holes, wherebythe plungers may be causeditoextend through one of said holes, and springmeans adapted` to retract said plungers to bring both oi" said vfeet into position against the outer surface'oi the other sheet to be joined 3.,In a sheet holder, a cup the lower surface of' which functions as anl abutment `for engage-` ment with the outer surface of` oneY of.v a pair .of sheets to be joined, two plungers slidable through a bottomv opening in said cup' having exible shanks and having feet witha combined. crosssectional area greater than that ofV therivet holes in thesheets to be'joined, means for moving the plungers diiferentially to cause one to project beyond theV bottom of the cupal .greaterdistance than the other, the shank of` the formerv plunger and the foot of the latterY one then having acornbinedl cross-sectional area less` than the crosssectional area oflsaid holes', whereby the plungers may be caused tofextendv through ,one ofsaid holes, and spring means adapted to retractsaid plungers to bring both of said feet intov position against the outer surfaceof the other sheet to be joined, said last named shank.. andk footv having cooperating cam surfaces for deiiecting' at least one of said feet outwardly as the feet approach the sheets to loe-'joined 4. In a sheet holder, ancup the lower surface of which functions as an abutment for engagementwith the outersurface offone of' a pair'of sheets to` be joined,.a long plunger with a head adapted tobe engaged by a compressing tool, a shank projecting through `an' opening in the bottom of` said cup and a foot below thebottom of the cup, 'a short plungerwith agsh'ank projecting through said openingpand` witha foot below the bottom of the cup, and' a coil spring interposed betweenthe bottom of the cup and the head of the long plunger, said short plunger engaging the spring at a point intermediateits ends; whereby depression of the long plunger causes depres-` sion offthe short plunger at a slower rate, the combined cross-sectional area of the foot on the short plunger and the adjacent portion of the shank of the long plunger when the plungers are fullyl depressed being less than the cross-sectional area 'off the rivet holes of the sheets to be joined. Y

5. In.a sheet holder, atcup kthe lower surface of. which functions as an abutment for, engagement Withthe outer surface of one of a pair ofV sheets to be joined, a long; plunger with a head adapted to be engaged by la compressing tool, a

the head of the long plunger, said short plunger.

having an outwardly bent upper end extending between'- two7 adjacent coils of thespring intermediate the ends of the latter, whereby depression of the long plunger causes depression of the short plunger at a slower rate, the combined cross-sectional area of the foot on the short plunger and the adjacent portion of the shank on the long plunger when the plungers are fully depressed being less than the cross-sectional area. ofthef rivet holes of the sheets to be joined.

6. In a sheet holder, a cup the lower surface of which functions as an abutment for engagement with the outer surface of one of a pair of sheets to be joined, a pair of plungers slidable through a bottom opening in saidL cup having exible Shanks oppositely bowed adjacent. their lower end and having rfeet with a combined crossL sectional area greater than that'ofv the rivet holes in the sheets to be joined, means formoving the plungers diiferentially to cause one to` project beyond the bottom of the cup a greaterY distance than the other, the shank ofthe former andthe foot of the latter then having aY combined crosssectional area less than the crossfsectionai area of said holes, whereby the plungers may bev caused to extend through one of said holes, and spring means adapted to retract said plungers toA bring both of said feet into position against .the outer surface of the other sheet to be joined. y

7. In a sheet holder, a cup the lowersurface of which functions as an abutment for engagement with the'outer surface vof one ofapair oi sheets to be joined, a pair .of plungers slidable through a bottom opening in said cup' having flexible Shanks oppositelyv bowed adjacent their lower end and having feet witha combined crosssectional area greater than that of the' rivet holes in the sheets to be joined, meansfor'moving the plungers differentially to causelone to projectbe yond the bottom of the cup a greater distance than the other, the shank ofthe former andthe foot of the latter then having a combined crosssectional area less than the crosssectional area of said holes, whereby the plungers may be caused to extend through one of saidholes,u and spring means adapted to retract said plungers whereby said bowed Shanks will move intoappressed relation as contact is made with the walls ofA said rivet holes to bring both of said feet into position against the outer surface of the other'sheet to be joined. Y

8; In a sheet holder, a -cup the vlower surface of which functions as an abutment'.V for ,engagement with the outer surface ofone of a pair o f sheets to be joined, two plungers slidable through a bottom opening in said cup having` flexible Shanks oppositely bowed and having feet with a combined cross-sectional area greater than that ofthe rivet holes in the sheets to be joined, means for moving the plungers diierentially to cause one to project beyond the bottom ,of the cup` a greater distance than the other, the shank-of the former plungerV and the foot of the latterrone then having a combined cross-sectional area less than the cross-sectional area of said holes, where. by the plungers may be caused to extend through one of said holes, and' springmeans adaptedv to retract said plungers whereby'said exible Shanks will move into appressed relationas contact Ais made with the Walls o f said rivet holesto bring both ofsaid feet into position; against the outer surface of the other sheet to be joined; A

Annanjw 1. Lava 

